Rocking chair with musical device



Patented Dec. 30, 1952 ROCKING CHAIR WITH MUSICAL DEVICE Kenneth E. Haselton, Athol, Mass, assigncr to N. D. Cass 00., Athol, Mass, a corporation of Massachusetts Application September 18, 1950, Serial No. 185,443

1 Claim.

This invention relates to musical rockers of the type wherein a musical device, commonly known as a music box, is secured to a part of a childs rocking chair in such a manner that when the chair is rocked, the music box is caused to be played, the construction ordinarily involv-- ing a plunger or the like which is adapted to contact the floor or other support and being actuated thereby intermittently, the plunger conventionally having a spring and ratchet or similar arrangement for intermittent operation thereof.

The principal object of the present invention includes the provision of a casing or housing, including a plate adapted to be secured to a rocker member of the rocking chair, said plate being provided with slide guideways to receive the remainder of the housing by flanged edges of the side walls thereof such that the device is completed only by being slid on to the plate.

Another object of the invention includes the provision of a device of the class described comprising a housing having an open bottom, the adjacent edges of the side walls thereof defining the open bottom being flanged to form guides, in combination with a plate having guideways at the side edges thereof to receive said flanges in slidable relation therein, said guideways including limiting means providing against the application of the housing thereinto more than to a predetermined extent to positively locate the parts; the provision of a means whereby the plunger itself is adapted to yieldably latch the housing to the plate, the guideways being arranged to receive the housing only upon sliding the same thereon horizontally, a chair to which the device is secured may be turned upside down and the music box housing slid from from the plate only upon manually depressing the plunger.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear hereinafter.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a view in side elevation of a rocker for a rocking chair at the inside aspect thereof illustrating the music box housing in position thereon;

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a bottom plan view of the music box device;

Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view of the device partially removed; and

Fig. 5 is a section on line 55 of Fig. 3.

The present invention clearly simplifies and improves the mounting constructions for music boxes to the end that the same may be easily and quickly removed from its position on a rocker of a chair and yet at the same time the device is securely located thereon against any possibility of accidental removal therefrom.

The reference numeral l8 indicates the rocker of a rocking chair and as seen in Fig. 1, the observer is looking at the inside aspect thereof.

The music box is contained in a housing generally indicated at I2. The music box is actuated by a plunger M which may be made rounded as shown in Fig. 1 so that the child may drag the chair across the floor, and yet fail to catch the plunger on rugs, thresholds, etc. The plunger is pivoted to the housing at l6 and when depressed into the housing, actuates a double action lever type pawl and ratchet device I 8 to rotate the barrel 2% with the spikes thereof actuating the tone strips or rods 22. The plunger IQ- may be depressed below the open bottom 2d of the housing against the action of spring 25. The side walls 26 thereof are flanged at 28.

A plate 3% is secured to the rocker l0 and has an angled portion 32 extending generally horizontally therefrom. The edges of portion 32 are rolled over to form guides 34 which slidingly receive the flanges 28, see Figs. 1 and 4. A T- shaped aperture 36 in plate portion 32 receives plunger 14 and the extending ends of the double ratchet device [8 to latch the music box in position.

To remove the music box it is only necessary to depress plunger 14 in slot 36 and draw the box to the left, Figs. 2 and 4, and a reversal of this action will restore the box to operative position.

Having thus described my invention and the advantages thereof, I do not wish to be limited to the details herein disclosed otherwise than as set forth in the claim, but what I claim is:

Attaching means for a music box comprising a housing open at the bottom, a plate for securement to a rocker member, an angled portion on said plate having a slot, guides on the said portion, means on the music box housing to slide in the guides, a retractable plunger in the housing and extending therefrom and disposable in the slot, and latching the housing to the plate against accidental removal.

KENNETH E. HASELTON.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,007,284 Te Pas Apr. 13, 1937 2,251,141 Lehman July 29, 1941 2,487,138 Howe Nov. 8, 1949 

